Storage battery for aircraft



June 26, 1945. l J L, Rupp 2,379,189

l l STORAGE BTTERY FOR AIRCRAFT File-d Jan. 23, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zorn/ey June 26, 1945. J RUPP STORAGE BATTERY FOR AIRCRAFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .ess/M v onf/Af Patented June 26, 1.945

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STORAGE BATTERY FOR AIRCRFT John L. Rupp, Williamsville, N. Y., assignmin National Battery Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application January` 23,1942, Serial No. 427,954

(Cl. 13B-170) 3 Claims.

proved container is reduced by eliminating the 1 usual heavy metal shieldsas well as the acid-resistant lining which has heretofore been necessary to protect the shield from the electrolyte and I also furnish ample protection against radio interference Iby providing a metallic filament which completely covers the outer surfaces of a strong, self-sustaining container and overhead compartment molded from a ,plastic material which is inert in respect to the electrolyte and conditions prevailing in the battery.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved battery with a portion of the outer cover broken away;

Fig. 2 is a part side elevation and part vertical section of the same;

Fig. 3 shows the battery in vertical cross section, the outer and cell cover sections being taken respectively at the center planes through these parts, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

spillageof electrolyte when the battery is inverted or .tilted substantially, as is frequently,

necessary when used in military and naval aircraft. To receive the electrolyte which is spilled from the several cells of the battery, I provide the compartment I4 extending above the several cells. The top of the container is closed by an outer cover I5 preferably formed with pendant flanges iitting outside of the container walls. A gasket I1 of soft rubber or other suitable material is provided between the cover and upper edges of the container walls to seal the joint.

Vent passages i8 extend through the cover to the compartment I4 and have extensions which project down from the cover to trap the electrolyte inA this compartment. Reinforcing ribs I9 l are also formed on the bottom surface of the cover. To

. hold the cover in place, a rigid metal baris tainer into six cells and eachcell contains groups of positive and negative plates 9 and separators i8 all immersed in a liquid electrolyte in conventional manner. The upper edges Il of the parti.. tions 8 are disposed in a common horizontal plane located a substantialr distance below thev upper edges of the .container walls. The top of each cell is preferably closed by a cell cover l2 which is sealed at its edges and securely bonded to the adjoining container walls and partitions by suitable adhesive i3. Each cell cover I2 has a removable filling and vent plug 12a of the usual or suitablev construction.

It will be understood that the vent plugs in extended across im top surface and longitudinally thereof and is fastened to the cover centrally by a bolt 2|. The ends of the bar 20 have perforations 22 to receive hold-down bolts.

In each cell the battery has straps 23 and 24 connecting the plate lugs of the positive and negative groups respectively and' cell posts 25 and 26 are rigidly joined to the straps and extend up through perforations in the cell cover for intercell connections. Intercell connecting bars 21 extend from cell to cell in the usual or suitable manner and the terminal posts 28 and 29 of the end cells are provided with U-shaped connectors 30 and binding posts 3L The latter extend horizontally thrpugh perforations in one of the side Walls 5 into a terminal housing 32 projecting from the exterior of the wall and provided witnknockout disks for the battery circuit cables. The housing 32 is formed in three parts held together by a pair of wing bolts 34, the inner ends of which engage the wall 5 of'the main battery container.;

A plastic having the characteristics of polystyrene or methylfmethacrylate is preferably used in a hydraulic press 'to form not only'the shield the battery and prevent interference'with radio communication. This shield may be applied by spraying or painting on a comminuted general use are not always effective yto prevent metal in a suitable Vehicle Or by electro-Platingand does not materially increase the weight of the The use of the lighter metals.

battery container. such as aluminum or magnesium, is preferred as the shield but several of the heavier metals, for

example, copper, cadmium, silver or lead maybe substituted therefor.

An electric connection between the portions of the metal filament on the container walls and that on the cover l5 is formed by a pair of metal inserts 38 imbedded in the upper edges of. the container end walls and a pair of rivets 31 extending through the cover I5 in registry with the inserts 36. The rivets 31 pass through the hold-down bar 2li and perform the further function of connecting it to the cover i5.

From the foregoing specification it will be understood that by constructing my improved container from a plastic of the class described, I reduce the weight and provide adequate strength. I also simplify the construction by eliminating the usual heavy metal shell and protective lining therefor while affording the overhead compartment for spillage and the thin metal shield securely bonded to the exterior surfaces of the entire structure.

v Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. For an aircraft storage battery, a molded light weight container comprising a strong, selfsustaining vinyl resin which is inert under the conditions prevailing in the battery, forming four integral walls, a bottom, cell partitions and an outer removable cover, each cell containing plates, separatorsand an electrolyte, means for closing the top of the cells substantially below the top of the container, the upper portion of the container providing an overhead compartment for electrolyte spillage, a vent passage formed in said cover and projecting from the bottom interior surface thereof to trap liquid electrolyte in` said compartment when the battery is inverted, means interposed between said outer cover and container walls for sealing the joint against the escape of electrolyte from said compartment and a continuous metallic filament of thickness not exceeding a few hundredths of an inch completely covering and adhering to the outer surfaces of said walls, bottom and outer cover.

2. For an aircraft storage battery, a light weight molded container comprising a strong. self-sustaining'vinyl resin which is inert under the conditions prevailing in the battery, forming four integralV walls, a bottom, cell partitions and an outer removable cover, each cell containing plates, separators and an acid electrolyte, means for closing the top of the cells substantially below the top of the container, the upper portion of the container providing an overhead compartment for electrolyte spillage, a vent passage formed in said cover to place said c0mpartment in communication with the atmosphere exterior to the container, means interposed between said cover and container walls for sealing the joint against the escape of liquid electrolyte from -said compartment, a continuous metallic filament completely covering and adhering to the outer `surfaces of said walls, bottom and outer cover vand extending between said cover and the adjoining surface of the container walls, a rigid metal bar adapted to be secured by hold down means to a support on the aircraft, said bar extending upon the outer surface of said outer cover and in contact with the filament thereon to confine said cover in sealing relation to the walls of theA container and an electric conductor extending through the outer cover and connecting the filament thereon lwith that on said adjoining surface of the container walls. l

3. For an aircraft battery, a molded light weight container comprising a strong, selfesustaining vinyl resin forming four integral walls, a bottom, cell partitions and an outer removable cover, each cell containing plates, separators and an electrolyte, means for closing the top of the cells substantially below the top of the container,

, the upper portion of the container providing an Join:I L. nope. 

